Cattle Town (1952)

By John Chard

Mike McGann is The Man. Directed by Noel M. Smith and starring Dennis Morgan, there's not a lot to write home about here for Western fans. Yet there's just enough of good old fashioned yee-haw to keep it from stinker status. Plot is set in post-civil-war Texas and finds crafty Notherners buying up the land for nefarious gains. In comes the government envoy to investigate, at the front is tough guy Mike McGann (Morgan). It's a curious mix of gunfights and singing - including a barber quintet - but the action is well staged and not in short supply, while the finale is rather rousing as cattle go berserk. It never sits still so three's no boredom factor - as it runs at just a little over 70 minutes - and Morgan (in his last WB role) is a likable leading man for this type of material. 5/10